NWO Take-off funding for ENTEG spinout company Sencilia

Sencilia, a startup company spun out of the Engineering and Technology institute Groningen (ENTEG), has received early-stage financing (vroegefasefinanciering) from the Dutch Research Council (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, NWO). Sencilia was founded by Dr Amar M. Kamat (former postdoc within ENTEG and currently the Managing Director of Sencilia) and Prof. Ajay G.P. Kottapalli (Associate Professor at ENTEG) in September 2021 to develop flow sensors for improving patient safety in neonatal and pediatric critical care. The funding concerns a Take-off phase 2 loan of EUR 250,000, awarded for the project 'Fish-inspired flow sensors for safer IV infusion therapy' to be conducted by Sencilia in the coming two years.

The Take-off 2 funding instrument is aimed at stimulating and supporting scientific activity and entrepreneurship, and is awarded to twenty University spinoff companies every year in the Netherlands.

Fish-inspired flow sensors for safer IV infusion therapy

Intravenous (IV) infusion therapy is a commonly administered procedure in hospitals, with over a billion infusions administered worldwide per year. However, IV infusions are notoriously risky. Up to 60% of all infusions have erroneous flow rates, and the resulting flow uncertainty induces serious adverse events for vulnerable patient groups such as preterm babies and critically ill patients. Sencilia has developed a unique bioinspired sensor to continuously monitor the IV flow rate in real time. The technology is distinguished by its small size, high sensitivity, and low cost, and promises to become the new standard of care in IV patient safety.